Remigijus Žemaitaitis, the leader of Lithuania’s Dawn of the Nemunas (Nemuno Aušra) party, has issued a statement to ambassadors from NATO and EU member states, as well as to Israel,

denying allegations of anti-Semitism following his controversial remarks about Israel and Jewish people.

“Political opponents, who were defeated in the recent parliamentary elections, are actively spreading claims that I and my party, Dawn of the Nemunas, which is set to join the ruling coalition, are anti-Semitic,” Žemaitaitis wrote. “I want to personally assure you that this is not true and never has been the case.”

The controversy intensified after the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) confirmed its partnership in the ruling coalition with the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” and Dawn of the Nemunas. The decision drew criticism at home and abroad due to Žemaitaitis’s ongoing trial for anti-Semitic social media posts.

Earlier in the year, Lithuania’s Constitutional Court found that Žemaitaitis’s comments had severely breached constitutional standards. Following this, he resigned from the parliament to avoid impeachment proceedings.

The criticisms stem from social media posts Žemaitaitis made in May 2023, where he shared a news report about an Israeli demolition of a Palestinian school in the West Bank. He remarked that such actions by Israel “increase the anger and, at the same time, the hatred towards Jews and their nation,” adding an anti-Semitic rhyme. Additionally, in 2022, he suggested that Jewish and Russian groups had oppressed ethnic Lithuanians during World War II and attributed the 1944 Pirčiupiai massacre to them, despite the fact that the atrocity was committed by German SS troops.

Over the weekend, officials from the United States, Germany, and Israel publicly condemned the coalition’s inclusion of Dawn of the Nemunas.

In his statement on Monday, Žemaitaitis defended himself, asserting that his social media posts were directed at Israeli policies, not the Jewish people as a whole. He emphasized his respect for all nationalities that have contributed to Lithuania’s history and prosperity.

“I firmly believe that equality, respect for each person’s identity, and human dignity are the cornerstones of any state governed by the rule of law. My criticisms were focused solely on Israel’s recent actions in Palestine—actions that have been critiqued by political leaders around the world. Additionally, I have voiced criticisms of the KGB’s activities in post-war Lithuania,” he said.

Žemaitaitis further claimed that his statements were manipulated by political rivals during election campaigns. He noted that during his campaign, he engaged with the Jewish community in Kaunas, visiting the local synagogue, expressing regret, clarifying his position, and showing respect for the Jewish people.

“I assure you once again that my personal criticism of the Israeli leadership’s actions does not equate to criticism of the Jewish nation as a whole,” Žemaitaitis concluded. Photo by ArmanaviciusZalieckasDeividas, Wikimedia commons.